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Claims assistant vs insurance clerk

The differences between claims assistants and insurance clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a claims assistant and an insurance clerk. Additionally, a claims assistant has an average salary of $36,487, which is higher than the $33,089 average annual salary of an insurance clerk.

The top three skills for a claims assistant include customer service, data entry and photocopying. The most important skills for an insurance clerk are patients, insurance verification, and data entry.

Claims assistant vs insurance clerk overview

Claims AssistantInsurance Clerk
Yearly salary$36,487$33,089
Hourly rate$17.54$15.91
Growth rate-3%-3%
Number of jobs8,971147,755
Job satisfaction-2
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 43%High School Diploma, 29%
Average age4444
Years of experience44

What does a claims assistant do?

A claims assistant takes tasks to support staff in processing insurance claims. Claims assistants manage correspondence, take phone calls, do paperwork, and type documents. Also called insurance claim clerks, the assistants do clerical and administrative tasks. They assist professionals working for financial services enterprises, medical providers, and insurance enterprises. Among the skills they need are strong communication skills, data entry, customer service, attention to detail, and knowledge about insurance. They are also expected to have management skills.

What does an insurance clerk do?

An insurance clerk usually works to process insurance, reinstatement, changes, or cancellations for a company or an individual account. They are responsible for monitoring, processing, and organizing different insurance claims for a client. They usually work closely with the company's insurance agent to provide necessary information to process the clients' application. This career requires a broad knowledge of local and state insurance policies, good attention to detail, excellent communication skills, customer service skills, and administrative skills.

Claims assistant vs insurance clerk salary

Claims assistants and insurance clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

Claims AssistantInsurance Clerk
Average salary$36,487$33,089
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $44,000Between $27,000 And $39,000
Highest paying CityHartford, CTHenderson, NV
Highest paying stateConnecticutNew Hampshire
Best paying companyNational General InsuranceLenoir Memorial Hospital
Best paying industryGovernmentFinance

Differences between claims assistant and insurance clerk education

There are a few differences between a claims assistant and an insurance clerk in terms of educational background:

Claims AssistantInsurance Clerk
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 43%High School Diploma, 29%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Claims assistant vs insurance clerk demographics

Here are the differences between claims assistants' and insurance clerks' demographics:

Claims AssistantInsurance Clerk
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 19.5% Female, 80.5%Male, 8.3% Female, 91.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 13.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 3.9% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 13.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 3.9% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between claims assistant and insurance clerk duties and responsibilities

Claims assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage adding and removing vendors through claims automate system to ensure they are in compliance with IRS regulations.
  • Process all HMO member reimbursements.
  • Create and provide weekly/monthly reports and PowerPoint presentations.
  • Coordinate daily operations such as updating litigation calendars and client data files.
  • Maintain a diary of complex, high dollar exposure, politically sensitive and high-visibility litigation claims.
  • Process various compensation benefits applications for veterans in compliance with organizational laws, federal laws, rules and regulations.
  • Show more

Insurance clerk example responsibilities.

  • Manage front office check-in, insurance verification and certifications from doctors.
  • Establish and implement procedures for completion of patient super bills with proper diagnostic coding utilizing ICD-9 and CPT code manuals.
  • Maintain patient medical records insuring diagnosis codes (ICD-9) are itemized correctly and name and address of insurance carriers record.
  • Schedule and obtain authorization for outpatient procedures for patients via private insurance, worker's compensation, and Medicare/ Medicaid.
  • Complete several ICD-10 training courses.
  • Perform medical coding with most accurate and descriptive HCPCS code.
  • Show more

Claims assistant vs insurance clerk skills

Common claims assistant skills
  • Customer Service, 23%
  • Data Entry, 12%
  • Photocopying, 6%
  • Insurance Claims, 5%
  • Insurance Adjusters, 5%
  • Veterans, 4%
Common insurance clerk skills
  • Patients, 25%
  • Insurance Verification, 7%
  • Data Entry, 7%
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • Insurance Coverage, 5%
  • Computer System, 3%

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